Page 29 - MDA SCATE 2023 Programme Book

SPEAKER PROFILE (DAY 3)

Prof. Dr. Aruni Tilakaratne
BDS (Honours), PhD, Diploma in Counselling (Distinction)

Prof Dr Aruni Tilakaratne received her Bachelor in Dentistry (BDS) in 1991. Later, she
pursued a PhD in 1999 partly carried out in University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and partly
in King’s College, University of London, United Kingdom. Prof Dr Aruni also obtained a
Diploma in Counselling (Distinction) in 2002 from Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo.
Prof Dr Aruni served as Senior Professor in Priodontology (2016 to date) in Department of
Oral Medicine & Periodontology at Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka. Currently, She is the Visiting Professor (March 2022-March 2023) in Discipline of
Periodontology, Department of Restorative Dentistry at Faculty of Dentistry, University of
Malaya, Malaysia. She also has been appointed as Chairperson for Board of Study in Dental
Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM), University of Colombo from 2018 until
2021. From 2015 until 2018, she has been elected as Council Member of National Research
Council of Sri Lanka. Apart from that, Prof Dr Aruni also is the Editorial Board Member in
Journal of Multidisciplinary Dental Research (JMDR).

Prof Dr Aruni had teaching, research and clinical experience of 30 years in the field of
Periodontology. She had been actively participating in publishing dental research and
studies. Up until today, she has done 36 research publications and presentations mainly
in periodontology and 63 research publications at meetings/publications in abstract
form. She also made contributions in the publications of text books such as a book
chapter titled Periodontal Disease in Text Book of Clinicopathological Correlation of Oral
Diseases, published by Spring Nature. Currently, Prof Dr Aruni has 8 ongoing research
and supervised research mainly in periodontal that has not been published yet. Due to
her active participation in research and publication in the dental field, Prof Dr Aruni has
been awarded “New Scientist” World Reputed Magazine in November 1999 as the editorial
reports that Prof Dr Aruni research work carried out in Sri Lanka as original/first time
reported in the world. She also awarded President’s Research Awards from 1999 until 2007
and received Commendable Contribution to Science Citation Index from 1999 to date.

Lecture : Periodontitis & Peri-implantitis - Can the Former
Predispose the Latter?
Maintaining one’s own natural teeth is highly desirable, both from physiological and
psychological perspectives. Therefore, the patients presenting with periodontitis should
receive high quality nonsurgical and surgical treatment where possible. However, where
teeth are not treatable, dental implants are one among replacement options for natural
teeth. Unfortunately, implants are also susceptible for peri-implant inflammation and
progressive tissue breakdown as teeth are for periodontal inflammation. Therefore, the
patients who have suboptimal plaque control, implant treatment is unlikely to meet with
long-term success. It is also known that the nonmodifiable risk factors such as genetics
would continue to play a part in the peri-implant tissue breakdown if an individual has been
susceptible for periodontitis around natural teeth. Hence, one should be cautious in implant
treatment of patients who have lost teeth due to periodontitis.
Clinically, peri-implant disease encompasses two main categories, namely peri-implant
mucositis and peri-implantitis. Bacteria in the form of a biofilm is the primary aetiology for
both of these disease processes. Clinical features of peri-implant mucositis are considered
to be similar to gingivitis around natural teeth with inflammatory features. Peri-implantitis
generally resembles periodontitis around natural teeth, with the cardinal feature of
progressive bone loss around the implant. Yet, histologically, peri-implantitis sites have
demonstrated larger inflammatory lesions with circumferential pattern of bone loss,
compared to periodontitis lesions. Thus, peri-implantitis can progress more rapidly than
periodontitis, with the risk of implant failure. From a microbiological perspective, some
early reports have pointed out microbial similarities between peri-implant disease and
periodontitis. Subsequent reports pointed out that a limited number of cases may harbour a
different microbiota, which would rather be similar to that associated with infections around
implanted medical devices.

Nevertheless, there is strong evidence that there is an increased risk of developing peri-
implantitis in patients who have a history of periodontitis, poor plaque control skills, with
inadequate maintenance care after implant therapy. Therefore, careful selection of patients
and subsequent maintenance care would be of paramount importance for long-term
success of implant treatment.
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